Parisian Eating Habits – In Numbers

Ever wondered how Parisians really eat?

A recent study released by the Mayor’s office of Paris breaks it down by the numbers. Here are some interesting stats to chew on. (Sorry! couldn’t resist that one…)

13,800 Restaurants

There are that number of restaurants in the French capital. Surprisingly, however, that makes Paris only the 2nd densest city in France in terms of dweller to eating establishment.

7,200 Businesses

This is the number of grocery stores, small and large, in the capital. That breaks down to more than 3 per 1000 inhabitants. Only 135 of these are specialized in organic products. (But that number seems to be mushrooming in recent years.)

70%

Roughly 70% of all food products consumed by Parisians come from France. And, in addition to that, the products come from nearby regions such as Normandy, Hauts-de-France and such.

660 Kilometers

This is the average distance that fresh ingredients travel before being served on a Parisian plate.

MORE Nice Numbers…

Relative to the rest of France, Parisians consume about 15% more fruits and vegetables, about 5% less red meat, about 25% less fizzy drinks (sodas) and about 45% less alcohol (now that’s kinda hard to believe! but apparently true). These healthy eating habits result in an obesity rate much lower – 10.7% – than the rest of France – 15%.

And, finally, Parisians spend even more money on feeding themselves than their fellow countrymen in the rest of the country: 23% of their monthly budget vs. 20.4%. They also consume about 20% more “takeaway” than the rest of the country. Bah Oui! Bien sûr, ç Paris!

*All statistics cited according to May 2017 study released by the Paris Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).